Aching
by Nanaki BH
Summary: Leon saves another life and comes to know Claire's brother a little better than he expected.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _Resident Evil_ and all related characters and materials are property of Capcom.

Aching  
By: Nanaki BH

Leon hadn't thought to wear his scarf. Now that he realized just how cold it really was outside the facility, he was wishing he had worn it. Granted, it was a brown knit scarf that wouldn't have matched well with his black gear, but it would've benefited him regardless. Something about the report he had been handed gave him the impression that their mission would be short-lived; in and out business. There was no way he could've expected it to take them so impossibly long.

Nor had he thought they would be staying outside.

He watched jealously through his binoculars as the guards exchanged positions at the front doors. The new guy that came out had on a fuzzy hat that covered his ears – and a scarf. Leon cursed himself again silently for being so casual with their situation. The new guy also had a nice steaming cup of… something. He imagined it could've been coffee or cocoa or even soup. That just struck another inextinguishable fire of jealousy within him. Bringing a thermos would've potentially made him look like a little kid but it would've been so worth it.

"Shit," he muttered, breath foggy in the evening air. "How long are these guys going to be?"

His partner for the mission, Chris Redfield, shrugged. He knew him as Claire's brother; that one she had been so determined to find when he first met her in Raccoon City. Leon had very limited contact with him before the mission but understood that he was a relatively soft spoken guy. For the few hours they had already spent on the job together, Leon could tell that Chris only spoke when he had to.

Something about that made him mysterious, though. Even though the mission itself was as boring as fuck, Chris gave him something to wonder about. Somewhere beneath that mysterious persona was the brother Claire knew; the warm-hearted and friendly big brother.

But it wasn't like he was Leon's older brother. Leon never had a brother anyway so he didn't know what it was like. He imagined that if he did, his brother wouldn't be quite so cold.

Ironic, considering the snow. Maybe Chris was just cold after all. Leon certainly couldn't blame him.

Leon set down the binoculars for a moment and looked at his partner. Chris had been keeping his eye on a radar; they were expecting a helicopter or a small jet but they hadn't seen so much as a blip for hours. Those hours dragged on for forever and Leon could just tell that his fingers would fall off before the damn transport got there. This helicopter or whatever was to be supposedly carrying some hazardous materials. Whether or not they were in fact related to Umbrella was what they were there to find out.

When he looked over, Chris was trying to light himself a cigarette with shaky fingers but was failing miserably, his glove-covered thumb too thick to effectively spark a flame. Leon bit the end of one glove and yanked it off, grabbing the lighter from him to do it instead. After a few tries, the flame sprang to life, dancing from the end of the lighter. Chris gratefully leaned down to catch the end of his cigarette, the crumpled cig hanging loosely from between his cracked lips.

He took a long drag on it and mumbled his thanks. "You want one?" he asked, proffering the pack in Leon's direction.

Leon graciously turned it down, though the thought of the warm smoke was tempting. "I don't smoke."

Chris settled down in the snow and adjusted his earpiece absently. "I told Claire I quit," he said, trying to distract himself with the radar. "I feel kind of bad."

"Did you try?"

"Quitting? Yeah, I tried sort of." That 'sort of' sounded just thrown in, like a last ditch attempt at being honest. He looked down at the cigarette, looking more and more displeased with it. If Leon wasn't determined to uphold his own morals, he would've taken it and finished it for him instead. "If these things don't kill me, the stress will. Or this goddamn cold."

"Oh yeah? I'm the idiot who didn't bring a scarf." At least Chris had the foresight to do that much. Of the few first impressions Leon had of Chris, he'd gathered that he was a well-prepared person.

Also of those first impressions, Leon made note of how incredibly handsome he was. _He's Claire's brother, for Christ's sake_, he tried to tell himself, but couldn't deny that he was attracted to him more than he was to his little sister. As sweet and charming as she was, she didn't strike him quite as much as Chris did. Strong capable men seemed to be the kind who could really sweep him off his feet.

On the way up to their post (snow mound, more like), Chris hadn't been particularly chatty. They talked about some events they'd been to recently though, and Leon had to bite his tongue to save himself from talking about that great gay bar he'd been to a few days prior. Sexual frustration didn't belong on a mission, especially one of such great importance, but it would kill him if he didn't find out whether or not Chris had some interest in men. Aside from coming straight out and saying it, what could he do, though?

_"Yeah, so how often do you frequent the clubs?"__Smooth, Kennedy. Way to really get a guy... He'd probably go and punch you in the face for something like that._

"So, Redfield," he started, trying to remain nonchalant, "you got a girlfriend?"

Chris stared down blankly at the small monitor. "Nah. It's probably better if I don't get involved with women."

_Why's he being so unspecific! _Leon ground his teeth and looked at him out of the corner of his eyes, wishing he could've made asking him a little bit easier. He could've just been imagining things, but such an unspecific answer could've meant exactly what he was hoping, though.

"Despite how good-looking I am, I'm not one for the ladies myself." For a while, he would drop it and see how things would go. "You know, I'm getting kind of hungry here. I didn't think we'd be here this long."

"Me neither," Chris admitted. His words sounded forced. Leon faced him and inspected him silently.

Leon decided to keep an eye on him. The way Chris' voice shook had him concerned. After a while, he picked the binoculars back up and tried to concentrate on the guards again. Their position on the drift was nearly fifty feet away. The high winds and flurries kept them sufficiently hidden from the guards' view but also kept them nice and chilly. Leon could live without the soup (as nice as it sounded) but Chris didn't seem to be fairing so well, like he was already sick or something.

He kept rubbing his eyes, dragging a hand across his face – to keep himself awake, it seemed. The guards weren't doing jack shit. They couldn't hear what the guards were talking about and they weren't stealth so it wasn't like they would ever find out anyway. They could be standing around over there for the whole night and no real significant progress would be made. Leon decided to take things into his own hands.

He leaned over and grabbed the portable radar from Chris, dragging its bulky metal frame over in front of himself. Chris had been letting snow collect on the screen, further proving that he wasn't paying as much attention anymore. He brushed it off and already Chris was protesting.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Your job." Then he realized how insensitive that sounded after he'd said it. "Sorry. I mean to be doing you a favor. You don't look too hot." Leon hated all the puns he could make out of their situation, especially since it wasn't very funny. Chris looked seriously unwell. His cheeks were paling, his skin adopting a bluish hue. Leon ungloved his hand again and placed his palm against Chris' cheek, staring into his eyes. They were clouded and foggy, staring at Leon but not really looking at him; unfocused and dazed.

"I know how to do my job."

"And I know how to do your job, too. It's not that hard to watch a screen. Just try to warm yourself up."

Chris grumbled something unintelligible and backed away. Leon began the inconvenient task of managing the guards and the radar at the same time. The guards could handle themselves until the transport came, apparently. They seemed more concerned with their gossip and ramen noodles. Leon focused his attention then on the screen of the radar; still nothing. Thankfully, there wasn't any static. He worried about how well a piece of usually delicate equipment could hold up in the freezing subzero winds and snow but assumed that whoever made them knew what they were doing. But how _well_ would it work in the snow?

"Do you really think we're going to see anything on here?" he asked Chris. A few seconds ticked by with his question unanswered and he turned around. Annoyed, he was about to raise his voice some when he noticed Chris, facedown in the snow. "Idiot!" he shouted, sure that the guards wouldn't hear him and unconcerned even if they could. "I told you to warm yourself up!"

Leon turned him over and listened carefully; his breathing was shallow and labored, his skin having taken on a sure blue tint. "I'm fine," he growled, trying to shove him away, still making no effort to keep himself warm. His movements were clumsy and languid though and served to hardly keep Leon off of him.

Just when Leon had started considering how terribly cold it was getting, something bad had to go and happen, like he jinxed it.

"Like hell you are." It sounded a hell of a lot like stage two of hypothermia. Leon didn't have any personal experience with hypothermia victims but he'd watched enough T.V. to know what it looked like. Without anything to keep them warm, Chris would be in some serious trouble. From the little he knew about it, he knew that he shouldn't try to personally warm him himself. "We're pulling out of here. You're more important than some lazy-ass helicopter pilot. If those ass-hats can switch off, then so can we."

He grabbed him under his arms, palms flat against his shoulder blades, and hoisted him up. Chris was heavy but nothing Leon couldn't handle. It was a distant walk to their vehicle though and he didn't have an extra arm to carry back their equipment. Chris couldn't wait in his condition, though. Radars were replaced easily enough. A person's life wasn't.

As gently as he could, Leon dragged him to the vehicle, Chris' boots creating deep trenches though the snow behind them.

Author's Notes: Resident Evil basically has no yaoi and that _really_ disappoints me. I really love these two guys and we never get to see any action! Expect to see more chapters. Feedback is greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: _Resident Evil_ and all related characters and materials are property of Capcom.

Aching  
By: Nanaki BH

Leon called their backup and almost immediately, they had new people ready to take their place. It was disappointing in a way, but Leon wasn't willing to needlessly risk Chris' life. He rushed him off to the nearest hospital (miles away in the equally freezing village of a city) and they quickly had him admitted for hypothermia. The gravity of Chris' condition began to sink in as he stood around and waited to hear about him.

Hypothermia was serious business; that one television show wasn't exaggerating in the least. Unfortunately, S.T.A.R.S. sent them out with hardly any field training. They were from a city; a big, nice, _warm_ city where people very infrequently suffered from being too extremely cold. He couldn't even be blamed if he hadn't recognized the symptoms. Fortunately for Chris, he often watched morning television.

For whatever reason, he still hung around in the emergency room. _Maybe it's just wishful thinking_, he thought; waiting around like he was some kind of relative. He wasn't his brother, after all... but nor was he his lover – not that hospitals recognized that sort of thing to start with. As far as the hospital was concerned, he was just some guy; the two of them hikers by the way they were dressed. All they needed him for were identification purposes. He had no other reason to be standing around to them; he was just another body taking up the precious space in their waiting room.

What more was he expecting? Chris was Claire's brother; he couldn't – shouldn't – fall in love with him. What's more, he shouldn't fall so easily in love with everybody he saves. He's a cop – a damn good one. It would be shameful if he allowed himself to get too comfortable.

Come to think of it, they didn't know he was a cop. If they did, he imagined he could get in to see Chris. He didn't want to think about why he was so concerned with his S.T.A.R.S. Partner but he couldn't deny that he was feeling something for him; something that had started before he saved him even.

So where would the harm be in really letting himself go for once? Almost all the other cops he knew were married. He was one of the few hold-outs. Why was he holding back his heart?

Leon tugged on his zipper and pulled off the coat, flinging it over his arm. He strode to the reception window and tapped on the glass, causing others in the room to pick up their heads. The girl behind the window looked up from the magazine she was reading with a very disinterested glower. She pushed the window aside and questioned him wordlessly, like she didn't want to be bothered, like it was too much of a hassle to do her very simple desk job.

That was the problem with hospitals, Leon thought. They had too many doctors and nurses and other employees who just didn't give a fuck. This girl was only contributing to that problem. He hated hospitals and the people and the smell... everything felt so insincere and only brought back the horrifying memories of his brushes with death.

"My partner was just admitted a little while ago. I was with him earlier. I'd like to be let in to see him."

By the incredulous look she gave him then, he supposed that 'partner' was the wrong choice of words.

"Relatives only, sir. Sorry."

She made to close the window but he pulled out his wallet and flashed his badge. "My _partner_," he emphasized. His response made her look embarrassed. Served her right, he thought.

"The door should be open," she mumbled and quickly closed the window.

Chris looked so calm. The color had finally returned to his face, taking on a light pink flush. It was a relief compared to the unnatural blue tint to his skin before. Leon had only briefly been in earlier to see him and didn't get to see the process they took to deliver him to recovery, but he took notice of the warm compresses that were left in places that needed immediate warmth. Other than that, he was sleeping quite peacefully.

10:36pm by then. A nurse had been there earlier and he had to explain their relationship again, though he was immensely tempted to mess with her and say that they were engaged or something. If she happened by again, he just might've told her that instead. The look Chris would have had on his face would have undoubtedly been priceless if he found out.

Leon reminded himself that being an idiot wasn't the way to score a date. Aside from his looks though, he wasn't sure what he should consider his appeal. Standing there, quietly watching Chris' sleeping face, he wondered what kind of person Chris would be interested in. Probably somebody a little taller... a little shorter... Height probably didn't matter. He would like somebody smart and sensitive and brave, but it would probably be nice for him to be able to protect his lover from time to time, too.

"_I'm just making this stuff up but it's making me like him even more. Here he is, so helpless – he could've died. And all I can think about is..."_

"Aw fuck, Redfield," he sighed. He strew his coat over the back of the beside chair and dragged it over so he could sit down next to him. His elbows sunk to the bed and he rested his chin in his palms.

"I could kiss you right now and you would probably never know." That thought just made him sad.

Chris, sleeping and so far away from the world could be anything Leon wanted him to be. He could lean over whenever he wanted to and press their lips together. Chris would be his lover, if only for that second. Yet he couldn't bring himself to do it and he couldn't explain why. As soon as he woke up, he would be the same Chris Redfield again and Leon would be his nothing.

"You suck," he muttered. "I'm in love with you and I don't even know why. You don't even have to do anything and I still... Fuck."

Leon sunk onto the bed, his head resting on his arm. Tentatively, he reached out and placed a hand above Chris' heart. Like that, he fell asleep.

Author's Notes: I think I know where I'm taking this. Hopefully the next chapter will conclude it. Feedback, kthnxbai.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: _Resident Evil_ and all associated characters and materials are property of Capcom.

Aching  
By: Nanaki BH

Despite how long he'd been asleep, Chris woke up groggy. He was immediately aware that his clothes weren't his own. His bed wasn't the one at home. He was in a hospital... and all the memories of what had occurred the day before came flooding back.

He was alone in the room but he had the distinct feeling that someone had been there. Thinking back farther, things became more cloudy and unclear. He could remember Leon's voice though, shouting to him over the roaring wind. For the life of him, he just couldn't remember what Leon had been saying. What he said then wasn't what was important – Leon had saved his life.

He remembered the stories Claire returned with when she came back from the devastated Raccoon City. Leon helped her search for him and had saved her from the zombies that rampaged the city. When he was told he was being partnered with the guy for a while, Claire spoke nothing but praise about him. It sounded to Chris as if God had sent them a guardian angel, though. If it weren't for Leon's heroics, there wouldn't be much left to the Redfield family.

Chris let his eyes slip shut, feeling drowsy. The drapes on the windows were left slightly agape so that the bright morning sun could filter through. It burned his eyes and made him groan. He would've rather been at home – he never left his blinds open. That extra five minutes of sleep was always an appreciated moment of peace.

The sun nagged at his eyelids and tore them open, only forcing him to close them tighter to find no escape. He sat up in annoyance and a compress fell from his forehead into his lap with a small _whump_ upon the sheets. He reached for it but his fingers felt strange, weak. He forced himself to pick it up and flexed his hand, trying to restore some sensation to his fingertips.

"Weird," he muttered to himself. _"I hope there's no serious damage. I wonder if Leon's alright..."_

And speak of the devil, the door opened and in walked Leon and in his arms, a bundle of flowers. The two looked at each other. Then to the flowers. Then Leon rushed them to the nearest table to relieve himself of them.

"Your sister told me to get you them!" he tried to explain, then realized that that could have sounded worse. "I mean... She asked me to buy them for you for her. They're really from her."

Leon was secretly cursing himself again for being so awkward in front of him. He arranged the flowers nervously, almost to distract himself from meeting Chris' gaze. He hadn't known that Chris would be awake when he walked in. In fact, he was planning on him still being asleep so he could sneak in, leave the flowers, and go. He might've given himself a few moments to watch Chris sleep, but after that, he would've been gone. That way, he could clear his system once and for all of the sudden fixation he had on him.

Unbeknownst to Leon, Chris rather enjoyed the gesture, regardless from whom the flowers really were. It was just like his sister to do such a thing but it would've been even nicer if they were from someone he didn't know. Of course, he would never tell that to Claire. If she heard him say something like that, she would assume that meant he didn't appreciate them from her. But if they were from Leon, if he had gone out and got them on his own just for Chris... That somehow felt like it would be different.

"So what did you get me then?" Chris asked, a grin blossoming on his face.

_"Honestly? Nothing."_ And that's what made Leon feel a little bad. But he was a guy. And Chris was totally straight. So why should he be worried about getting him "get well soon" presents anyway? Why was he even be concerning himself so much as to dwell on it? After all, he would only be there for a couple seconds. Then he was out. And God wiling, he wouldn't have to think about Chris ever again.

"Wait a second." Leon's brain finally caught a hold of one very sneaky suspicion. "Chris, are you flirting with me?" There was only one thing those heavily lidded eyes and ear-to-ear grin could mean and it was beginning to make Leon feel uncomfortable again.

Chris lay back down on the bed, careful of the areas on his back that still felt sore. "Oh? No 'how are you feeling, Chris'?"

Leon was sure he was as red as a tomato then. "N-No... I mean, yeah. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. And you don't have to act so stiff around me, I caught on already. I'm not that dense."

Leon could just die, hearing that. He hadn't expected Chris to be so forward... Let alone awake. What was he trying to suggest? He knew all this time that he was interested in him and yet he hadn't said anything? Were all of his fears about him immature and for nothing?

"But your sister..."

"What about her?"

Leon's mouth hung agape, unsure of how to respond to that. Was Chris suggesting that there was absolutely nothing wrong with this?

Leon crossed his arms somewhat defensively, trying to play down his interest. "Don't tell me you knew I was coming on to you this whole time."

"How did you expect me to answer? I was freezing."

_"...That is a good point he has."_ Tapping his foot, he looked back, feeling a little more relaxed when he saw the smile still on Chris' face. "So... what then?"

"What do I think?"

"Yeah."

Closing his eyes, Chris sighed. "I think I'm tired, actually. But I'm really grateful that you managed to bring me back here all by yourself. And," he cracked open an eye, "you are kind of my type."

Leon recalled all of the assumptions he had made before about what kind of person Chris might be interested in and realized with pride that he'd been right. His knack for figuring people really hadn't left him in the cold this time. He returned his smile and joined him at his bedside again. Even though he'd planned on leaving before he even came back, now he felt like leaving would have been the worst mistake he'd ever made.

"Think you could help me?" Chris asked, lifting a weak hand to Leon. "I can't feel much."

Gently, Leon took Chris' hand in his own and rubbed his fingers over his, pleased to find them warm. "You know, even if I acted tough, you scared me," he said after a while.

"Things happen," he said, shrugging. "But at least I'm alive, thanks to you."

"It was nothing," Leon lied, remembering quite well how hard it was in the cold.

Feeling some sensation coming back into his fingers, Chris reached up and grabbed a hold of the lapels on Leon's coat and pulled him down into an unexpected kiss. Leon's eyes opened wide in surprised, mumbling muffled words against Chris' mouth. It was a little difficult to kiss him from the position they were in, but Leon managed, closing his eyes and relaxing into the kiss.

"A little thanks," Chris said, smiling softly. "I could tell that's what you'd been waiting for."

Leon nodded, his head feeling clouded already. "Yeah. No problem. I... You're welcome."

A palm was placed to Leon's cheek, warm and reassuring. "From now on, try not to worry so much about me. I can take care of myself."

Like it or not, Leon was still determined to worry about him at least a_ little_. Either way, Leon was more than relieved to finally have his answer.

Author's Notes: I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this. I'm not sure if I originally intended to end it on three chapters but I can't remember what I had wanted to do with it. Fortunately, I still had most of this chapter just sitting around already written out. I hope you enjoyed reading.


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